Farm Laws and 10 Economic Perspective in 2021 | UPSC

The following points demystify the farm laws from an economic perspective:

1.ECONOMIC HISTORY OF EXPLOITATION AT MANDIS

• Fifty-five years since the APMCs were introduced, the country’s farmers are still receiving a low share of the consumer’s rupee as indicated by an Reserve Bank of India study.

• The provision of MSP alone will not ensure farmers to draw a greater share of the consumer’s rupee because supply is greater than demand.
• The demand is also influenced by schemes such as national food security mission, where food grains are offered free or at low prices.

2. INEFFICIENCIES IN APMCS

• The APMCs still don’t issue formal receipts which are supposed to mention the price, quantity or quality of the produce.

• Buyers make a large income from informal lending.
• Such illegal paired with unfair deductions, undercover sales, cartels and collusions at APMCs have continued denying remunerative prices to the farmers.

3. WIDENED MARKETS BENEFIT FARMERS

• Due to green revolution technologies, supply has increased but is limited to APMCs for handling.
• This causes the prices to be capped at a lower value.
• Permission to buy or sell outside APMCs will benefit farmers by creating new supply or value chains.

• This implies that farmers can get at least 13 per cent higher prices in international markets by exporting.

4. INFRINGEMENT OF RIGHTS

Farmers’ right to sell their produce to whomever, wherever, whenever and in whichever quantity cannot be infringed upon.

• Thus, buyers outside APMC will have to compete with APMC prices and vice versa to attract farmers’ produce.

5. NO INTERFERENCE WITH STATE

• But this is subject to entry 33 in the concurrent list, which allows both the Centre and the states to frame these regulations.
• Such market reforms can double far incomes.
• Also, with Article 249, the Centre can enact law in national interest of saving farmers from exploitation by middleman.

6. MULTIPLE MARKETS AND COMPETITION

• Allowing buyers outside APMC mandis promotes competition and halts exploitation.
• At present, while consumers are paying higher price, farmers are still receiving lower returns due to inefficiencies and imperfections.
• Thus, setting the markets right is crucial through the new laws.

• This implies that current market prices are depressed by 38 per cent due to lack of adequate competition.
• Opening up the markets can push the APMCs to offer competitive prices.
• Competition in procurement and distribution cost can also reduce from 30 per cent to 15 per cent.

7. BIHAR’S IMPRESSIVE PERFORMANCE

• Economic reforms in Bihar in 2005 that removed the APMC act resulted in impressive agricultural and overall performance.

• After the reforms, Bihar’s economy grew at 11.7 per cent with 4.7 per cent agriculture boost, while India’s economy grew at 8.3 per cent with agricultural growth at 3.6 per cent.
• Between the pre and post-reform period, average wholesale price of paddy increased by 126 per cent, maize by 81 per cent and wheat by 66 per cent.

8. CONTRACT FARMING

• Contract farming enabled farmers to offer produce at a predetermined price.

• Small farmers have  the highest for small farmers.

9. AGRICULTURE MARKETS STARVED OF 3CS

• Capital injection postpones operation of the law of diminishing marginal returns.
• The gross private capital formation in agriculture is 75 per cent.
• Investment in marketing infrastructure, processing, logistics benefits society, where private sector has potential.
• New provisions of Essential Commodities Act enable scale economies in agricultural marketing attract private sector investment.

10. NATIONAL OVERSEEING AUTHORITY